Why Simple Fender-Benders Could Cost You Thousands in Repairs

IIHS Crash Tests Demonstrate Damage

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) regularly conducts crash tests on passenger cars and SUVs. By crashing cars and SUVs into one another in a controlled test environment, IIHS researchers determined how mismatched car and SUV bumper heights can cause significant damage in the thousands of dollars.

Several years ago, the IIHS selected seven pairs of SUVs and passenger cars from the same manufacturers to demonstrate that, even when manufacturers have control over bumper heights on their own models, the damage resulting from mismatched bumper heights is considerable.

The testers paired up sets of cars and SUVs from each manufacturer and crashed them into one another at a speed of 10 mph. They would first crash the SUV into the rear of a stationary car and then reverse the process by crashing a car into the rear-end of a stationary SUV.

What they found was this: Like two mismatched prizefighters, when a car’s lower bumper impacts an SUV’s higher bumper or vice-versa, the SUVs bumper will “KO” the car’s bumper, causing extensive damage to hoods, cooling systems, headlights, taillights, bumper, fascia, and more. In many cases, the car’s lower bumper height will let the SUVs higher bumper ride over the top of the car’s bumper, exacting extensive damage as a result.

But don’t think that because SUVs are bigger and have higher bumpers that they have lesser damage or escape unscathed. That’s because when car and SUV bumpers don’t line up properly, they can’t do their job of absorbing the brunt of the impact. Additionally, since there are federal SUV bumper regulations, car manufacturers are free to equip their SUVs with bumpers that flimsy and inadequate.

Tests Reveal The Hidden Costs of Fender-Benders

These extensive laboratory crash tests on mismatched SUV and passenger-car bumpers revealed the shocking hidden costs of fender-benders. Depending on the make and model, estimated repairs ranged from a low of $850 to a high of $6,015. In one instance, the total cost of estimated repairs to both vehicles was close to $10,000. Average repair costs were in the $1,200 to $4,500 range. In some cases, vehicles were damaged to the point that they were undrivable.

Bear in mind that these tests were conducted in 2010, so it’s likely that repair costs have increased significantly since then.

“SUVs and cars share the road,” explains IIHS Chief Administrative Officer Joe Nolan. “The problem is that they don’t share the same bumper rules, and consumers end up paying the price.”

(If you want to see just how much “car-nage” [pun intended] these car crash tests can cause, check out our “10 Most Insane Car Crash Test Videos” blog here.)

Beat The High Cost of Kansas City Fender-Benders

As we’ve seen, mismatched car and SUV bumpers can turn a simple fender-bender into an expensive repair job costing thousands of dollars.

Unfortunately, there’s no regulatory remedy to this growing car vs SUV bumper-mismatch problem on the horizon. But you can still help beat the high cost of fender-bender repairs near Overland Park, KS by taking your vehicle to one of our five conveniently located McCarthy Collision Centers in the greater Kansas City area.

If you’ve unfortunately been involved in a Kansas City car accident and are looking for a reputable auto body shop near Blue Spring, MO, rest assured that the collision-repair pros at McCarthy Collision Centers will get you back on the road again for less.

Our skilled and highly trained technicians at our McCarthy auto repair shops in Blue Springs, Olathe, Overland Park, and Lee’s Summit use the latest technology to return your vehicle to “like-new” condition.

If you’ve been involved in a car accident, we understand how traumatic and disruptive this event can be. That’s why we offer you the peace of mind of our limited lifetime warranty on all repairs.

Don’t worry about dealing with insurance because we’ve got you covered. We work with all insurance companies and are a direct repair facility for most insurance companies. We offer insurance claim assistance, free online auto repair estimates, and you can easily schedule a repair appointment online at any of our McCarthy Collision Centers. We also partner with several reputable Kansas City towing services for around-the-clock towing day or night.

Beat the high price of fender-bender repairs in Kansas City by contacting your nearest McCarthy Collision Center at 1-800-NEW-AGAIN (800-639-2424). Or visit us online at 800newagain.com.